CommunismDemocracySocialismSocialist PartyViolenceWorld War

112 THE WORKERS COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 15, 1921 IT is a new attempt by capitalist society to find an escape from the contradictions created by the imperialistic world war. The Third International on Washington Disarmament Conference.
The Rise and Fall of the Socialist Party By BENJAMIN GLASSBERG The Workers Council AN ORGAN FOR THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL (10 Cents per Copy) New York, October 15, 1921. per Year)
Vol. No. Left The Same Old Rotten Eggs pool oleh The story of the decline and decay of the So The average annual membership figures are as cialist Party can be described most graphically follows: Going Up!
through its membership figures. Up to 1912, it 1903 grew steadily, rising from 15, 975 in 1903, two years 15, 975 1904 after its organization, to 118, 045 in 1912, when it 20, 763 1905 23, 327 reached its high water mark. It was then one of the 1906 26, 784 largest Socialist parties in the world.
1907 29, 270 It was in 1912 that the struggle over the famous 1908 41, 751 Section 6, anti sabotage clause, broke loose, with 1909 41, 470 the result that about twenty thousand members 1910 58, 011 withdrew from the party. The party never again 1911 84, 716 reached the membership it had prior to its efforts 1912 118, 045 to pose as an anti violence organization. Following 1912, there was a slow but steady decrease in memAdopts Section 6, Downt 1913 bership, which was for a time accelerated by the 95, 957 entrance of the United States in the war. Locals 1914 93, 579 in outlying, tural sections fell early victims to the 1915 79, 374 holy war for Democracy.
1916 83, 284 In 1918 the membership began to take a turn upThe Anti War stand: Up!
ward. In January, 1918, it reached 86, 650; in March 1917 80, 379 it had gone up to 101, 571; in December, however, 1918 82, 344 it fell to 84, 495. In 1919 there was once more an 1919 (first months). 104, 822 upward movement; in March, just when the disAnti Third International. Down!
satisfaction with the compromising attitude of the 1919 (last months) 34, 926 party was making itself felt, resulting in the organ1920 26, 766 ization of left wing elements in various sections of the country, the membership had gone up to 101, 313.
1921 (first months) 14, 934 May, 1921, 9, 919 The dispute within the party and the efforts made June, 1921, 12, 024 by the officialdom to maintain control let loose 5, 781 forces which very soon split the party wide open, July, 1921.
Before the split in the party and in the course of about two years brought the After the split in the party.
party membership far below what it was in 1903.
In December, 1919, three months after the organizaJuly, 1921, the month following the Detroit Convention, showed dues stamps sold totalling only tion of the Communist and Communist Labor Parties, the Socialist Party had remaining 31, 738 5, 781, which means the passing down and out of members. The average for 1920, aided by the Althe Socialist Party as a national organization.
bany affair, fell to 26, 766. For the first five months FAREWELL! TO SOCIALIST PARTY of 1921, the average dropped still further, to 17, 464. Continued from Page 105. consisting of 13, 262 English speaking members and ul American Section of the Third Inter4, 182 in the various foreign language federations.
national The decrease was due largely to the withdrawal of the Finnish Federation because of utter disgust irresistible party of the world disinherited.
Forward in the struggle for the realization of an with the party international position.
SIGNERS OF THE WITHDRAWAL STATEMENT: As an indication of the now rapid disintegration HINORITY DELEGATES, NATIONAL CONVENof the Socialist Party, it should be noted that since TION, 1921, DETROIT: Louis Engdahl, Illinois; the infamous Detroit Convention, the Jewish and Flanagan, Southern District, Kirkendali, Bohemian Federations have both voted to withWest Virginia; Charles Kolarik, Bohemian Federation; Bailin, Jewish Federation.
draw from the party, which means a loss of at HINORITY DELEGATES, NATIONAL CONVENleast 1, 500 members. At the recent meeting of the TION, 1920, NEW YORK: Steven Bircher, New party executive committee, the membership of the Jersey; Benjamin Glassberg and Alexander TrachtenEnglish speaking sections was reported to average berg, New York.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE between six and seven thousand for the last three THIRD INTERNATIONAL OF THE SOCIALmonths. If what is left of the language federation IST PARTY (in addition to the above. Paul be added to this, it would leave at most a memberGlaser, Indiana; Morris Backall, Baurustein, Louis Herzon, Ralph Henderson Heary Wickwire and ship of 9, 000 for a party which only two years ago Hyman Schneid, Illinois; Rose Weiss, New Jersey: boasted of more than 100, 000, at a time when a party Salotsky, Olgin, Alexander Karlin and like the French had no more than 40, 000. Retribu George Wishnat, New York.
tion has come mighty rapidly to the party and Send all your communications to Louis Engpolicies of Berger and Hillquit.
dahl, Secretary, 80 East 11th Street, New York City.
ARMORED WORKERS FOR BACONETS CARS FOR WORKER POISON GAS WORKE: for a po FOR DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE The Third International Exposes Washington Conference The Open Communist PartyThe Task of the Hour!
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